My Top 5 Films Of 2020

 I know you are used to my top ten at the end of the year, however it really was half a year of films with Covid 19 shutting down theaters. So here is half of 10, my top 5 films of 2020. The year we want to forget!!

5

PHOTOGRAPH

I saw this in the theaters at the beginning of the year. It stuck with me. Its spans time. Its relatable. Maybe it stuck with me because I love my camera and I know the right picture can tell a story. It resonated with me. Plus, during the tough year, its nice to watch a movie and not be depressed while watching it.

LaKeith Stanfield, as we saw in last years Knives Out, is such a good actor. He knows how to let a moment sit, and we see how great he is again in this film. He is like a modern day Tom Hanks where he never goes over the top, he lets the words of the screenplay sit  and breathe.

4

LAND

Amazing job by Robin Wright as the lead and directing this film. She puts you in the middle of the beauty and the struggles of it all. She plays Edee as almost a mystery. She is brave, yet we find a bit naive. She reminded me a little bit of Cheryl Strayed in the film/book Wild played by Reese Witherspoon.  

The Cinematography by Bobby Bukowski...no words..just watch the film...so good.

Then there is Demian Bichir as Miguel. I mean has he ever given a bad performance? Here as Miguel he becomes a hero; a companion; and also he, like Edee holds a secret.

This 90 minute film flies by, you will have tears at the end and a little hope which I loved. Robin Wright is so good in this film, I just loved her and felt for her. 

You may not like the open ending, but you know,what Edee needs to do now, live.

3

THE SOUND OF METAL

I heard a buzz about this one. However I was not looking forward to it, I mean I am not a metal head for sure and I thought it was going to be about a heavy metal band. Obviously I did not see the trailer or read anything about the film before going in lol.

Riz Ahmed as Ruben playing a deaf person, learning sign language for the part. Learning drumming for the part. Saying so much with his eyes. This is really really a wonderful performance.

Paul Raci as Joe Ruben's mentor. Such a wonderful soft performance also often done in sign language.

Lets not forget the thankless role of Olivia Cooke as Lou. Her life changes drastically also as her boyfriend loses his hearing. It's also life altering for her. Olivia's performance is so soft and delicate, its a shame it gets ignored when people talk about this film. She is very good.

The story is so different, your heart hurts for all involved and you still have hope if they do the right thing.

The screenplay is also not afraid of silence. Which is an important part of telling this story and it works

This film is filled with layers, well done.

2

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

After watching this film I sat there thinking, how can I recommend this film. I mean, there's really not a good soul in this film. There are sleazy guys. There are females who are assholes. Then there Is Cassandra who is just batshit crazy.  However 2 days later the film still sticks with you. Its like nothing I have seen before, which is always a pleasant surprise. but this one is something.

Its spoiler free,I will not get into the whys and hows ...but..again batshit crazy. You will finish watching it and think...ugh...then the next two days you will keep thinking about it.

This is highlighted by an Oscar worthy performance by the always good Carey Mulligan. Her best performance since An Education (which is available on Netflix, also a little nutty). Mulligan is freaking good as Cassandra, she has you cheering for her, but also scaring you. She walks that fine line perfectly. She spends her nights pretending to be drunk until she get back to the mans apartment or home...then surprise. This is no spoiler its in the trailer and in the first 5 minutes. The tension never lets up. This is not a horror film in the sense of a slasher film, but it is horror on another level, psychological.

Credit goes to Director and Writer Emerald Ferrell. He keeps the film moving at a nice clip. It is never boring that is for sure. The camera work at the bachelor party makes you the viewer claustrophobic, you want out of there also!!! Well done.

Now before my number 1 I will give you a quick glimpse of 6-10:

6-Broken Hearts Club

7-Invisible Man

8-The Last Vermeer

9-Freaky

10-Words On The Bathroom Wall

Now joining this list of years past number ones:

2014 Wild

2015 The Martian

2016 Edge Of Seventeen (Many are saying now it is better than Lady Bird from that year..THANK YOU)

2017 The Big Sick

2018 Green Book

2019 Knives Out

Decade- Brooklyn

Go back and watch any of these films, you will not be sorry. Its funny I started this blog to be the uncritic critic, I think that is why this blog worked. Note most of these movies are fun and have a happy ending which critics roll their eyes at. God forbid you are entertained lol. So if you have friends tell them to check this out like 35000 did this year. It is meant to be the fun grammatically in-correct movie review blog. It works.

AND NOW

1

NEWS OF THE WORLD

A gentleman travels from town to town reading to citizens of each town the news from outside of their area. Along the way he stumbles on a young girl in a wooded area and brings it upon himself to deliver her home.

I had a private screening of this in a movie theater, like, by myself, which was strange yet nice.

What a wonderful job done here by Paul Greengrass. I mean the Greengrass who brought us the Jason Bourne action films, somehow pulled off this nice little quiet wide open slow paced film. The pace is nice. The cinematography is just perfect. The score he brought to the film (Dariusz Wolski) is beautiful. Greengrass broke out of his comfort zone for sure.

Lets get to Tom Hanks, he plays Captain Kidd (No Shit). I am starting to think Tom Hanks is our version in our times of Jimmy Stewart, The constant close up of reaction. The acting, taking breaths and pauses with his lines. Is he the best actor working during these times? Well he is in top 5 for sure...(Sounds like I will have to do a blog on that). Well here every reaction, in every situation, he is pitch perfect.

Now to the real star, Helena Zengel as Johanna. She is a fish out of water. She cant speak English so she has to act with her eyes and body motions. You cannot take your eyes off of her. The best compliment I can give about her performance is she holds herself up to Tom Hanks's performance. She never looks like she is out of her league here.

As for the story. It is believable. It moves slow but it often has suspense, so that keeps you interested. The characters are interesting within the story. You find The Captain is sort of sad as he moves from town to town, and Johanna, for the first time in years, gives him purpose.

Its tense, it sometimes funny, it id beautiful and sweet( which is nice to see during these times)

MY NUMBER 1 film is NEWS OF THE WORLD

Now look for my shadow awards Oscar weekend and my Oscar predictions.